SAN DIEGO – Following a dominant 10-2 win in five innings at Colorado State on Sunday, the San Diego State softball team returned home on Friday to start a three-game series against UNLV and had a repeat performance. Jazmin Williams hit a grand slam in the first inning and the Aztecs scored a pair of runs in each of the second and fourth innings while Grace Uribe tossed a gem, allowing just three baserunners in a complete-game shutout for an 8-0 run-rule win in five innings.
UNLV’s (18-20, 2-10) leadoff hitter Jesse Farrell reached on an infield single to third to begin the game before San Diego State (25-14, 9-5) starting pitcher Uribe induced a 6-4-3 double play to erase the runner. Another groundout ended the Rebels half of the first. In the bottom of the inning, Julie Holcomb bunted for a single. Jade Ignacio hit into a fielder’s choice, taking Holcomb’s spot on first base. Cali Decker and Shannon Cunningham each walked to load the bases for Williams. On a 1-1 count, she launched a grand slam deep to left field to give the Aztecs an early commanding lead.
In the second, Uribe retired the side in order including strikeouts of Charelle Aki and Sofia Morales to start and end the inning, respectively. Uribe walked to lead off in the bottom of the inning before singles by Quinn Waiki and Bella Espinoza loaded the bases. Holcomb hit into a double play, but Uribe was able to cross the plate while Waiki advanced to third. Ignacio followed her with a bloop single to right center, scoring Ignacio to extend the Aztec lead to 6-0.
Uribe worked around a single in the third, finishing the inning by striking Farrell out looking on a full count. Williams singled to begin the bottom of the inning and stole second before advancing to third on a foul flyout to right but could not advance the final 60 feet.
The Rebels would get their final baserunner of the game when Karmyna Becerra singled down the left field line to begin the fourth. However, Uribe got outs from the next three hitters including another strikeout of Aki to end the inning. Espinoza led off in the fourth with a bunt single and moved to second on a passed ball before advancing to third on a single by Holcomb. Holcomb stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Ignacio followed with a ground ball to third. Becerra fired home but Espinoza was ruled safe after review. Ignacio reached first but tried running to second and was tagged out while the throw allowed Holcomb to cross the plate and set the Aztecs up for a run-rule with an eight-run lead.
Uribe went back out for the fifth inning and retired the side in order to end the game with an Aztec win.
THE NOTE
San Diego State won its second straight game in five innings for the first time since winning at UNLV 13-4 on May 4, 2024, on the final day of the regular season to win the Mountain West championship and taking down host Boise State 9-1 on May 9 in the first game of the Mountain West Tournament. The last time the Aztecs had two consecutive run-rule wins in the regular season was when they beat New Mexico 10-2 in five innings on April 14, 2017, before an 8-0 victory in six innings the next day.
THE NOTE II
Jazmin Williams’ grand slam was the second of the year for the Aztecs. Williams’ came in the first inning while the other was a walk-off grand slam by Shannon Cunningham in the seventh inning to beat Charlotte on February 16.
UP NEXT
SDSU and UNLV resume this three-game series at SDSU Softball Stadium tomorrow at 4 p.m. before wrapping it up with a game at noon on Sunday. Sunday’s game will be broadcast on the Mountain West Network.
San Diego State 8, UNLV 0
UNLV (18-20, 2-10) 000 00 – 0 3 0
San Diego State (25-14, 9-5) 420 2X – 8 9 0
W – Uribe, 7-0; L – Sherwood, 7-7
HR: Williams, SDSU (2)